Iran-Iraqi Kurdistan-Iran
 

Hi there,


I am starting a new ( bicycle ) ride soon to and through the Middle East. I am headed for India.


My original plan was to enter Iraqi Kurdistan from Turkey but all hell seems to breaking loose at the moment in southeastern Turkey so I probably will have to reconsider.


Would it be possible to enter Iraqi Kurdistan from Iran ( say east of Erbil ), get a new Iranian visa in Erbil, and re-enter Iran near Souleymaniyeh ?


Any link or lead would help.


Cheers,


Levelo.

Yes, so long as there is an Iranian consulate in Erbil, and you have a tourist visa invitation which has been sent to the consulate there.

Hey,


Just talked to this NGO worker recently based in Erbil who wasn't utterly negative about the current situation in Iraqi Kurdistan. There is an Iranian consulate in Erbil which she visited. There is possibly another one in Suleymaniyeh.
Dohuk Province along the Turkish border was recently bombed by the Turkish army, so probably off limits anyways.
I am researching the borderposts between Iran and Kurdistan. The one east of Suleymaniyeh seems to be operational. My map shows one on the main road northeast of Erbil ( into Piranshahr and Orumiyeh in Iran ) but I can't get confirmation that it is currently open.


Levelo.

There are two active border crossings which you can use between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan.

The most frequently used is that at Piranshahr / Haji Omran. There is also a corssing at Bashmaq / Beshmaq (between Marivan and Halabja). I have only crossed the latter, and it was easy. I had to pay an entry fee of around $20 to bring my Hilux into Iraq.

Suleymaniayah and Erbil are a bit dull; I recommend visiting Kirkuk and Lalish / Khenis / Alqosh close to Mosul (if the security situation is OK) which gives you a taste of the ethnic diversity of northern Iraq.

Photos here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1136194...stanAndAssyria

EO

This is useful. The paper maps I have actually show both routes/border posts.
First hand fairly recent travel info on KRG is hard to come by so thanks.
If everything goes according to plan I will be in Iran sometime in the fall, and things can change for the worst ( or best ) in the meantime.
Levelo.